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Every Thursday -- check WKYT.com for the latest "A Message from Ray the D.A."
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| American D.A. - LIVE
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Forensic Friday
Every other Friday 9 am
WVLK 590 AM |
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Officer Don's Crime Prevention Tip |
Home Invasion Robbery Prevention Tips
A home invasion is when robbers force their way into an occupied home, apartment or hotel room to commit a robbery or other crimes. Home invasion is like the residential form of an automobile carjacking and it's on the rise.
The home invader will sometimes target the resident as well as the dwelling. The selection process may include a woman living alone, a wealthy senior citizen or a known drug dealer. The greatest violence usually occurs during the initial sixty seconds of the confrontation and home invaders often come prepared with handcuffs, rope, duct tape, and firearms.
The same tactics used to prevent daytime burglaries will go a long way to preventing forced entry home robberies.
Remember these important security steps:
- Install solid core doors, heavy duty locks, and window security devices;
- Lock all doors, windows, and garages at all times;
- Use the door peephole BEFORE opening the door;
- Use your porch light to help you to see clearly outside;
- Never rely on a chain-latch as a barrier to partially open the door;
- Never open the door to strangers or solicitors;
- Hold a family meeting to discuss home security plans.
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| Sheriff Kathy Witt |
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Fugitives Wanted by the Fayette County Sheriff's Office
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WANTED |
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Guy Minniefield |
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Burglary 3rd |
DOB: 06/02/1961
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 175
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown |
Click here to see who is wanted by the Fayette County Sheriff's Office. |
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| Issue: #34 |
September/2008 |
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 Welcome to our E-Newsletter Feel free to forward our E-Newsletter to others.
Having trouble viewing A Message from Ray the D.A.? Click here. |
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TOP STORIES
Criminal Justice News & Views
The cost of crime in Lexington in 2008 - $45.5 million and counting!
Immigration Update
September, '08 report: 96 foreign-born nationals have been booked into local jail in first 15 days of September.
Criminal Justice News & Views
Want to know where most of the gun crime areas are in Lexington? Next on American DA - LIVE
The Hal Mark Cobb murder case - Cobb murdered his wife by electrocution.
Meet Kentucky's Felony Prosecutors
Lynn Pryor, Commonwealth's Attorney for Christian County.
Recent Court Case
Felon on probation commits same crime, finally sent to prison.
Death Row Inmate Of The Week
This killer stabbed a male victim and strangled and stabbed a pregnant female victim, leaving a pair of scissors in her neck.
Information Center
Want to know what cases were Indicted, Dismissed, or Transferred Back To District Court by the Grand Jury and what cases are set for trial? Check it out here.
Who is on Home Incarceration in Lexington?
Convicted criminals in the Home Incarceration Program (HIP) in Lexington. Last Week's Circuit Court Sentencings
Who went to prison and who was probated. |
| Criminal Justice News & Views |
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 The Cost Of Crime In Lexington - $45.5 Million And Counting!
Crime has cost victims $45.5 million in only 8 months in 2008. The cost to incarcerate lawbreakers for the entire year: $24 million.
Lexington's Cost of Crime to Victims through August, 2008:
| Rape |
103 |
x |
$51,058 |
= |
$5,258,974 |
| Robberies |
337 |
x |
$12,594 |
= |
$4,244,178 |
| Assaults (F) |
754 |
x |
$12,028 |
= |
$9,069,112 |
| Larceny from Auto |
4,515 |
x |
$181 |
= |
$817,215 |
| Auto Theft |
399 |
x |
3,127 |
= |
$1,247,673 |
| Burglary |
1,437 |
x |
$939 |
= |
$1,349,343 |
| TOTAL (in 1985 dollar value) |
$ 21,986,495 |
| TOTAL (in 2007 dollar value) |
$ 45,512,044
(only 8 months) |
How to Calculate the Cost of Crime to Victims:
Mark Cohen, an analyst for the Federal Sentencing Commission, developed a formula which determined the cost of crime to victims.
The Crime-Cost Formula included pain, suffering and fear the crime victims suffered as a result of crime, based, in part, upon how juries have apportioned damages between direct economic losses and pain and suffering.
Cohen estimated the average per-crime cost to victims in 1984 (using the value of the dollar in 1985) as follows:
| Rape |
$51,058 |
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Robbery |
$12,594 |
| Assault |
$12,028 |
| Personal Theft |
$181 |
| Auto Theft |
$3,127 |
| Burglary |
$939 | |
| Immigration Update |
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September, '08 Report: 96 Foreign-Born Nationals Have Been Booked Into Local Jail In First 15 Days Of September
 Since July 2, 2008, we have received daily reports from the Fayette County Detention Center reporting the foreign nationals who have been arrested in Lexington and booked into our local jail.
Unfortunately, those reports do not indicate what crimes these foreign nationals were arrested for. However, they do give us the number of illegal immigrants that were arrested and booked into jail.
| July, 2008 |
200 illegal immigrants arrested and booked |
| August, 2008 |
203 illegal immigrants arrested and booked |
| September, 2008 |
96 illegal immigrants arrested and booked
(through September 15, 2008) | At this rate, there will have been over 2,400 illegal immigrants arrested and booked into our jail during 2008.
Very Interesting Website. . .The Realities of Illegal Immigration
According to www.immigrationcounters.com's introduction, it "is dedicated to those concerned with how their borders and immigration laws are managed. It shows the realities of illegal immigration..."
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| Criminal Justice News & Views |
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Want To Know Where Most Of The Gun Crime Areas Are In Lexington?
 High gun crime areas are those areas of any community, including Lexington, from which the police receive the most reports of gun crime by citizens.
Eastern Kentucky University recently collected data on the number of gun crimes in Lexington. The areas identified as high gun crime areas also coincides with the areas previously identified as high-crime areas in our community:
Cardinal Valley Area
Centre Parkway Area
Georgetown Street Area
Winburn Area
Woodhill Area
Winchester Road Area
North Limestone Street Area
Third Street/Race Street Area |
| Next On American DA - LIVE |
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The Hal Mark Cobb Murder Case
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Lt. James Curless |
In 1994, a Lexington jury sentenced Hal Mark Cobb to life in prison for the murder of his wife Lisa Jones Cobb after he intentionally electrocuted her. Lisa Cobb died in 1984, but her death was considered an accident for 10 years before Cobb's involvement finally surfaced.
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Then |
Now |
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Hal Mark Cobb |
Cobb was a minister of music at the Southern Acres Christian Church in the early 80's in Lexington. He had been living a double life since he was a child, marrying and becoming a minister, while also being homosexual and sneaking out to gay bars at night.
After covering up his wife's murder, Cobb moved to California. Eventually he was arrested there for Indecent Public Conduct and was required to attend a treatment program.
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Lisa Jones Cobb, victim |
One of the witnesses in the case, Paul Coleman, lived with Cobb in California as Cobb was undergoing counseling for his sexual compulsive disorder. Coleman knew that Cobb was keeping a journal throughout his treatment program. Eventually Cobb revealed to Coleman that he had planned the killing of his wife. He said they had been having marital problems, in part because he was having homosexual affairs.
On the morning of the murder, Cobb obtained an extension cord and, when his wife was in the bathtub, he dropped the hair dryer into the water, causing her to be electrocuted. He had been covering the murder by claiming the cat knocked the dryer in the water by accident. Coleman told a detective of the Los Angeles Police Department about Cobb's confession and the journal records.
The L.A. Police Department contacted Detective James Curless of the Lexington Police Department with the information. For the next year, however, Cobb hid at his parents' house in Indianapolis. He was finally found in 1994 and agreed to return to Kentucky to face his murder charges. Cobb was convicted in 1995 and is currently serving a life sentence at Luther Luckett Correctional Complex.
Listen to American DA - LIVE on Friday, September 19, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. on WLAP 590 AM as Ray Larson and Jack Pattie talk with Lt. James Curless about the Hal Mark Cobb murder case. |
| Meet Kentucky's Felony Prosecutors |
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Lynn Pryor, Commonwealth's Attorney For Christian County
"Lynn has been an outstanding addition to the ranks of Commonwealth's Attorneys," says Ray Larson.
 Lynn Pryor is the Commonwealth's Attorney for the 3rd Judicial Circuit. Lynn was elected Commonwealth's Attorney in Christian County in 2006 and began her term in 2007. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1992 with a B.S. degree in Merchandising, and graduated from the UK College of Law in 1998. Lynn previously worked as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney from 2000-2003, and as the regional attorney for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services from 2003-2007. Prior to that, she served as the co-General Counsel for Southeastern Title Company. During law school, Lynn assisted UK Law Professors William Fortune and Robert Lawson by editing, cite-checking and proofreading their Kentucky Criminal Law textbook. Lynn also worked as a law clerk for Republic Industries, Inc. and as an intern for then Fayette Circuit Judge James Keller. Between college and law school, Lynn held several retail management positions in Lexington, Dry Ridge, Georgetown and Nashville, TN. Lynn is a member of Kiwanis, Fraternal Order of Police, Christian County Community League, Hopkinsville-Christian County Drug Endangered Children's Coalition, and serves on the board of directors for the Pennyrile Children's Advocacy Center. |
| Recent Court Case |
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Felon On Probation Commits Same Crime, Finally Sent To Prison
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Phillip Ballard |
In May of 2008, Lexington Police received a complaint from a crime victim who reported his credit cards had been stolen and used without his permission. Investigation by financial crimes detectives revealed that two credit cards had been taken out of the victim's desk at work and used to purchase over $400 worth of items including video games at local merchants. Phillip Ballard, age 45, was identified by store surveillance as using the victim's credit cards. He was also found to be working for a construction company that was remodeling the building where the victim worked. When confronted by detectives, Ballard confessed to the crimes.
Ballard's criminal history shows that he pled guilty to five counts of Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card in August of 2007 and was sentenced to four years, probated for five years. He pled guilty in September of 2008 to Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card and Persistent Felony Offender and was sentenced to serve seven years in the penitentiary. This time will run consecutively to his earlier sentence, because he was on probation when he committed the new crime. Under Kentucky's new guidelines, Ballard will be eligible for parole after serving 15% of his sentence. |
| Death Row Inmate Of The Week |
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What did this killer do to convince a jury to sentence him to death?
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Roger Wheeler
36 at the time
Male, Black |
In Jefferson County in 1997, while on parole for 10 counts of Robbery, Roger Wheeler killed a male and female victim. The male victim suffered nine stab wounds. The female victim, who was pregnant at the time, died as a result of manual strangulation. She had multiple abrasions on the left side of her neck and lacerations with a bruise on her mouth and several bruises on her lips. Her body was found in a seated position, leaning against a bedroom wall. She was covered with a blanket and a pair of scissors was protruding from her neck. The medical testimony determined that she had been stabbed with the scissors after she was already dead.
Wheeler was sentenced to death on April 27, 2001.
That's what he did. He sentenced himself to death. |
| Information Center |
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To see the latest Grand Jury returns, including Indictments, Dismissals, and cases Returned to District Court, click on the dates below:
The Fayette Commonwealth's Attorney's Office Criminal Trial Schedule is updated each Monday. To see our trial schedule, click here. |
| Who Is On Home Incarceration In Lexington? |
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| Convicted Criminals In The Home Incarceration Program (HIP) in Lexington
Inmates who are nearing the end of their sentences can be placed into the Home Incarceration Program (HIP) under certain circumstances. Offenders who are part of this program are technically still incarcerated; however, they are placed in the community under electronic monitoring rather than being behind the walls of a correctional facility.
To learn the identity of the inmates presently in the Home Incarceration Program in our community, click here. |
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Fayette Circuit Court Sentencings
Friday, September 12, 2008 |
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| 3rd Division - Judge James Ishmael | |
COLLINS, Sharon Kay
Age: 31 |
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| Sentenced to 1 year in prison for the prosecution's amended charge of Reckless Homicide. Sent to prison. | |
GREEN, Charles Harrison Jr.
Age: 53 |
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| REPEAT OFFENDER: Sentenced to 10 years in prison for Convicted Felon in Possession of a Handgun, and to 12 months in jail for Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, 1st Offense, to run concurrently for a total of 10 years in prison, probated 5 years, to serve 2 months in jail. | |
GRUBBS, Michael Thomas Jr.
Age: 35 |
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| Sentenced to 3 years in prison for Tampering with Physical Evidence, 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of 4th degree Assault, 90 days in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of Harassment, and 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of Criminal Attempt of Intimidating a Participant in a Legal Process, to run concurrently for a total of 3 years in prison. Sent to prison. Ordered to pay $1,147 in restitution. | |
KOKINDA, Philip Mark
Age: 44 |
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| REPEAT OFFENDER: Sentenced to 10 years in prison for the prosecution's amended charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance and status as a Persistent Felony Offender, probated 5 years. | |
MITCHELL, Narkita Roshaee
Age: 22 |
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| Sentenced to 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of Facilitation Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, and 12 months in jail for Complicity Trafficking in Controlled Substance within 1000 Yards of a School, probated 2 years. | |
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| 4th Division - Judge Pamela Goodwine | |
ALVAREZ, Richard Alan
Age: 24 |
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| REPEAT OFFENDER: Sentenced to 1 year in prison for 3rd degree Assault, and in a separate case, to 12 years for the prosecution's amended charge of 2nd degree Robbery, to run consecutive for a total 13 years in prison. Sent to prison. | |
DETERS, Alex M.
Age: 18 |
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| Sentenced to 1 year in prison each for 2 counts of 3rd degree Burglary, and 1 year in prison for Theft by Unlawful Taking Over $300, to run concurrently for a total of 1 year in prison, probated 3 years. Ordered to pay $1500 jointly and severally in restitution. | |
HAYES, Emmanuel Wayne
Age: 32 |
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| Sentenced to 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of 1st degree Criminal Trespassing, and 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of 4th degree Assault, to run concurrently for a total of 12 months in jail, probated 2 years. | |
HAYES, Gloster B.
Age: 42 |
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| REPEAT OFFENDER: Sentenced to 10 years in prison for the prosecution's amended charge of 1st degree Possession of a Controlled Substance, 1st Offense, and status as a Persistent Felony Offender, probated 5 years | |
HOWELL, Billy Gay
Age: 63 |
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| Sentenced to 1 year in prison for the prosecution's amended charge of Wanton Exploitation of an Adult. Sent to prison. | |
MCCAIN, Meggan Denise
Age: 31 |
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| Sentenced to 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of 2nd degree Fleeing or Evading Police, and 6 months in jail for Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence, 2nd Offense, to run concurrently for a total of 12 months in jail and a $500 fine, probated 2 years. | |
| STEWART, Anthony Wayne
Age: 22
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| Sentenced to 5 years in prison for Trafficking in Marijuana, > 5lbs, 1st Offense, probated 5 years. | |
WATTERS, Barbara Rochelle
Age: 47 |
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| Sentenced to 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, 1st Offense, conditionally discharged 2 years. | |
| 7th Division - Judge Ernesto Scorsone | |
BALLARD, Phillip William
Age: 46 |
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| REPEAT OFFENDER: Sentenced to 7 years in prison for the Fraudulent Use of Credit Card over $100 within a 6 Month Period, and status as a Persistent Felony Offender. Sent to prison. Ordered to pay $454.84 restitution. | |
GREEN, Brian Eli
Age: 28 |
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| Sentenced to 3 years in prison for 1st degree Possession of a Controlled Substance, 1st Offense, diverted 5 years. | |
JANOW, William Ryan
Age: 21 |
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| Sentenced to 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of 2nd degree Wanton Endangerment and 12 months in jail for Possession of Marijuana, probated 2 years. | |
PITTMAN, William Eric
Age: 36 |
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| Sentenced to 5 years in prison for Prohibited Use of Electronic Communication System to Procure Minor/Performance Sexual Offense, probated 5 years. | |
ROBINSON, Adale Alan
Age: 23 |
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| Sentenced to 10 years in prison for 1st degree Criminal Abuse and 5 years in prison for 1st degree Criminal Abuse, to run concurrently for a total of 10 years in prison. Sent to prison. | |
SMITH, Brittney Morgan
Age: 20 |
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| Sentenced to 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of Criminal Attempt Possession of Forged Instrument. Sent to jail. Ordered to pay $388.92 in restitution. | |
TRAVIS, Taneka Lasha
Age: 20 |
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| Sentenced to a $20 fine for Careless Driving. | |
VAN STEENBERGH, Jason Michael
Age: 28 |
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| Sentenced to 2 years in prison for Fraudulent Use of Credit Cards over $100 within a 6 Month Period, and to 12 months in jail for 3 counts of the prosecution's amended charge of Fraudulent Use of Credit Cards, to run concurrently for a total of 2 years. Sent to prison. Ordered to pay $442.62 in restitution. | |
| 8th Division - Judge Thomas L. Clark | |
CLAY, Michael Wayne
Age: 53 |
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| Sentenced to 2 years in prison for Tampering with Physical Evidence and to 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, 1st Offense, to run concurrently for a total of 2 years in prison. Sent to prison. | |
GREGORY, James Edward
Age: 21 |
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| Sentenced to 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of 1st degree Criminal Trespassing, 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of 4th degree Assault, and 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of 2nd degree Fleeing or Evading Police, to run concurrently for a total of 12 months in jail, probated 2 years. Ordered to pay $250 in restitution. | |
POWELL, Kimberly Lucia
Age: 51 |
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| Sentenced to 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of Theft by Unlawful Taking under $300, probated 2 years. | |
SOTO-MELERO, Antonio
Age: 33 |
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| Sentenced to 1 year in prison for 1st degree Possession of a Controlled Substance, 1st Offense, and to 1 year in prison for 2nd degree Criminal Possession a Forged Instrument, and in a separate case, to 12 months in jail for the prosecution's amended charge of 2nd degree Bail Jumping, to run concurrently for a total of 1 year in prison. Sent to prison. | |
| 9th Division - Judge Kimberly Bunnell | |
PRATER, Jason Leon
Age: 30 |
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| REPEAT OFFENDER: Sentenced to 10 years in prison for the prosecution's amended charge of 2nd degree Burglary and status as a Persistent Felony Offender, and to 5 years in prison for the prosecution's amended charge of 2nd degree Assault, to run concurrently for a total of 10 years in prison. Sent to prison. | |
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